Explosions heard near Market Village

[derek60]

We were woken about 5am by three explosions, maybe somewhere near Market Village. I can't find any reference to them when I Google it. I assume electrical. Anyone have any idea?

[HHTel]

Most probably a transformer blowing up or 'tripping' Happens often.

[Big Boy]

3 times?

[HHTel]

When we had a major power cut a couple weeks ago. There were 2 explosions one after the other. It was the middle of the night and enough to shake the house.
It appears there are 'rods that hook onto the main line. These are tripped accompanied by a 'big bang'. When they arrive to fix it, it just involves the removal of the 'creepers' around the box and simply hooking these rods back to the line.
Well that's what it looks like!

Taken from the web:

"When an accident or faulty mechanism occurs, a sudden surge in voltage levels can flood the transformer with too much electricity, resulting in an explosion."

[hhinner]

My wife kindly woke me up about 5am last night to inform me that it was raining. Yippee? A short time later when I'd got back to sleep she very kindly () woke me again to let me know the electricity had gone off. Loud noises tend to carry a long way at night. Maybe one of the bangs was a transformer blowing and related to our outage?

[Nereus]

When we had a major power cut a couple weeks ago. There were 2 explosions one after the other. It was the middle of the night and enough to shake the house.
It appears there are 'rods that hook onto the main line. These are tripped accompanied by a 'big bang'. When they arrive to fix it, it just involves the removal of the 'creepers' around the box and simply hooking these rods back to the line.
Well that's what it looks like!

Taken from the web:

"When an accident or faulty mechanism occurs, a sudden surge in voltage levels can flood the transformer with too much electricity, resulting in an explosion."

There are several reasons why an explosion my occur, either at or around a street transformer. The HV side needs to have fuse protection, which as with most fuses, it is there to protect the distrubution cabling, rather than the transformer. Most of the types used here are combination fuses and disconnects.
They can be used to isolate the transformer, or sections of a grid, as well as provide fuse protection.

330px-Cutout_fuse.jpg (19.82 KiB) Viewed 1241 times

As for "rods", I guess it depends on which country you are talking about. A transformer will usually have insulators mounted on it where the HV is connected. These are sometimes called "rods".

pc34834101-electical_distribution_transformer_bushings_with_copper_rod.jpg (13.73 KiB) Viewed 1241 times

"When an accident or faulty mechanism occurs, a sudden surge in voltage levels can flood the transformer with too much electricity, resulting in an explosion.

Don't believe too much of what is posted on the internet! It is not possible to "flood" anthing with too much electricity.

[HHTel]

Thanks for that, Nereus. The transformer close to my house 'goes off' 2 or 3 times a year. When I've watched the gang sorting it, after removing the creepers, they use a long pole to pick up a 'swinging' rod with a 'hook' on the end and re-attaching it to the transformer. You know more about it than I do. I'm just an observer.

[Nereus]

Thanks for that, Nereus. The transformer close to my house 'goes off' 2 or 3 times a year. When I've watched the gang sorting it, after removing the creepers, they use a long pole to pick up a 'swinging' rod with a 'hook' on the end and re-attaching it to the transformer. You know more about it than I do. I'm just an observer.

In that photo of the fuse can be seen a small circular part at the top. That is where they place the hook on the end of an insulated long pole to swing the link, either to open, or close it after replacing the fuse link.

[buksida]

We get those transformer explosions (and associated power cuts) 2-3 times per week down here in the boonies.

The PEA doesn't seem to know how to solve the problem, they just keep repatching them until the next bang.

[HHTel]

Thanks for your explanation, Nereus. If I was Thai then I could now call myself an 'expert' ..... lol
Interesting but I'll not lose any sleep over it!